Senior-Smith cited the unsworn statement made during the murder trial by the dancehall artiste in which he proclaimed his innocence.

"Mr. Palmer categorically said he never sent anyone to kill Clive 'Lizard' Williams 'nor did I do it myself'," the attorney said, repeating a part of Kartel's unsworn statement to the jury during the trial.

But, according to Senior-Smith, this outright denial was not given sufficient weight by the presiding judge, Justice Lennox Campbell, in his directions to the eleven-member jury.

He said emphasis was, instead, placed on the men's assertion that there was a conspiracy by the police against them.

"So that was the defence the judge left to the jury instead of an outright denial," Senior-Smith argued.